A TEENAGER convicted of dangerous driving will not go to jail despite flouting a ban.

Kyle Simmonds drove a Honda Civic in Westlands, Droitwich despite being banned from driving.

The 19-year-old, of Shepherds Close, Westlands, Droitwich, was stopped by police on December 12 last year at about 6.10pm.

He was banned from driving for 18 months last July after he was convicted of dangerous driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, driving with excess alcohol and driving without insurance.

Simmonds was also made subject to a prison sentence of 12 months, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

He admitted driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and breach of a suspended sentence order when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, February 24.

Charles Hamer, prosecuting, said Simmonds had pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity, when he had appeared before magistrates on January 26.

Mr Hamer said when Simmonds was stopped by police he "exited from the driver's side immediately and said 'I'm disqualified mate'.''

Simmonds, a provisional licence holder, attended the police station voluntarily, he added.

Sukhdev Bisla, defending, said: "When stopped by the officer, Mr Simmonds – before the officer had spoken a word – informed the officer he was disqualified.

"He was fully co-operative and made admissions at the scene.

"He's very sorry and accepts his stupidity and foolishness in this matter."

Simmonds had previously worked at Morrisons supermarket but had since lined up work as a kitchen porter at the Old Rectifying House in Worcester, Mr Bisla said.

He also told the court Simmonds belonged to a family of car enthusiasts and had only driven the vehicle 300 metres to check if it was roadworthy.

But Recorder Robert Spencer-Bernard said: "If not stopped he may have gone substantially further. It's merciful the the police stopped him when they did.

"It's not just driving whilst disqualified. It's a blatant breach of the court order.

"Offences of driving while disqualified are all too prevalent among young men of your age group.

"I can tell you right away when I first looked at these papers yesterday I took the view that it called for the immediate imposition of the suspended sentence and an additional further period of imprisonment or, in your case, detention."

However, he said Simmonds had pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity.

"It's one of the perils of doing up motorcars that you tend to go on the road to check them.

"There's no suggestion there was any bad driving. It was a flagrant breach of an order disqualifying you from driving less than six months before."

He fined him £450 and disqualified from driving for six months which will not add to the overall period of his existing disqualification.

Simmonds was also ordered to complete a further 100 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months and to pay £340 costs.